COUNCILLORS have given the thumbs up to plans to bulldoze the Jaguar Heritage Centre in Coventry.

Councillors voted in favour of the demolition of the motor museum at a council planning meeting on Thursday to make way for the construction of 19 three and four bedroom homes on the former Jaguar factory site in Browns Lane.

Developers Taylor Wimpey were granted outline planning permission to build up to 172 homes on the disused site in 2009, and diggers have already moved in to demolish the former car plant.

Although no objectors attended yesterday’s committee meeting, letters written to the council raised fears about lack of facilities in the area to cope with the development.

One local resident wrote: “At present the number of houses in the area is increasing significantly and yet community facilities such as the school, village hall, bus services and local public green space receive no additional investment in order to accommodate the growing population. May I also ask what the sustainable travel plan for the proposed development is, and what traffic management measures are being proposed in order to mitigate against the increasing levels and speeds of traffic on Browns Lane and Windmill Hill?” Geoff Horsman, a council planning officer, informed the committee that Jaguar Land Rover had written to the council to support the proposal, and said officials intended to relocate the collection by September.

Councillor Gary Crookes (Cons, Wainbody) said: “I want to make sure the Jaguar Heritage Centre’s collection is protected and would hate for us to be doing something that would dilute it in any way. I would like assurances the museum’s collection will be kept within Coventry and will be displayed in full.”

Councillor Ken Taylor (Cons, Earlsdon) replied to say it was his understanding the collection would be located on the top floor of the Coventry Transport Museum in the short-term.

The committee also voted to approve a separate application from Taylor Wimpey to build 11 new homes on land next to the Jaguar Heritage Centre plot.